“If you wanna make the world a better place, take a look at yourself, then make that change”.
These are the words of Michael Joseph Jackson who was an American singer, songwriter, and dancer. He was born on 29th August 1958 in Gary, Indiana, United States. Being regarded as one of the most significant figures of the 20th century, his contributions to music, dance, fashion, and philanthropy lived long for a period of over four decades. His unique and complicated stage and video performances such as the moonwalk still influences the coming up artists. Thus, he is known to be the most awarded music artist recorded in the history up to now.
Did you know that Michael’s father, Joe Jackson forced young Michael to practice music? Even though it caused a lot of mental pressure on Michael, he became the best in what he did. He first got into music in 1964 when he joined his older siblings (Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon) in the band “The Jackson Brothers” as a backup musician and a vocalist. Later this group name was changed to “Jackson 5”.
In contrast to the strict nature of Michael’s father, Michael was gifted with an inborn talent. His vocals and dance moves quickly turned him to become the Jackson 5’s main draw. Jackson who started his solo career in 1971 was able to become a solo star by 1979 with his album “Off the Wall”. His music videos, including those for “Beat It”, “Billie Jean”, and “Thriller” from his 1982 album Thriller, are the best examples to showcase his urge in breaking racial barriers. He transformed this medium into an art of a promotional tool on behalf of the well-being of the whole world. Some of the other of his innovative videos of that kind includes videos on the albums Bad (1987), Dangerous (1991), and HIStory: Past, Present and Future, Book I (1995).
During the first part of Michael Jackson’s career he went from being a child star to being one of the world’s biggest entertainers. Jackson’s skin was medium-brown during his youth, but from the mid-1980s started gradually growing paler.
His gradual change in skin colour caught the attention of the media world wide. Rumours spread that he had been bleaching his skin. Jackson’s dermatologist, Arnold Klein explained that he observed Jackson had vitiligo, which is a condition characterized by patches of the skin losing their pigment, and sensitivity to sunlight. Jackson wanted to let his fans know that he had not purposely bleached his skin and the reality was that he could not control his vitiligo. He once added the following words with regret, “When people make up stories that I don’t want to be who I am, it hurts me.”
Jackson has been referred to as the “King of Pop” because he transformed the art of music videos and paved the way for modern pop music. For much of Jackson’s career, he had an unparalleled worldwide influence over the younger generation.
Going beyond the music industry he was able to make an impact in other fields such as dancing, fashion and even global affairs. Songs such as “Man in the Mirror”, “Black or White”, “Heal the World”, “Earth Song” and “They Don’t Care About Us”, were able to raise awareness of global issues such as racial integration, environmental well-being and injustice. In this regard, he is recognized as the Most Successful Entertainer of All Time by Guinness World Records.
Jay Cocks, a pop critic, has written that,
“Jackson is the biggest thing since the Beatles. He is the hottest single phenomenon since Elvis Presley. He just may be the most popular black singer ever.”
He also described Jackson as “a star of records, radio, rock video. A one-man rescue team for the music business. A songwriter who sets the beat for a decade. A dancer with the fanciest feet on the street. A singer who cuts across all boundaries of taste and style, and color too.”
Leaving behind an invaluable bunch of magnificent work for the world, Jackson left the human world on the 25th of June 2009. He was at the age of 50 by that time. Later in February 2010, an official coroner’s report revealed that Jackson’s cause of death was a lethal overdose on a prescription drug cocktail.
Even after twelve years from the passing away of this legend, the world still remembers his exemplary performances with unlimited love. Thus, this great musician, dancer, singer and the songwriter will always be loved, and forever missed in our hearts for many more genres of time.
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